Predestined
by Eterna1Soldier
Summary: Follow the tragic life of Cecillia Tevos as events beyond her control transform her from a rash Matron into one of the most influential beings in the Galaxy.
1. Chapter 1: New Life, New Path

**Disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effect or its characters. These belong to Bioware and EA.**

****AN: This story will explore the life of a mostly ignored character in the Mass Effect Community, Councilor Tevos. There is a lot of potential for Tevos in fanfiction, but unfortunately it seems she has been overlooked and forgotten. In this story I hope to give her a descent back story, more characterization, and explore what motivates her and her decisions. Make no mistake, she is an extremely important character in the ME universe, and it is my opinion that without her insistence, Shepard would never have become a Spectre (at least not as quickly). We will start long before Tevos is ever Councilor, though most of the story will take place in more modern times (2150's - current). Again, thanks for reading and I will be looking forward to your feedback.

* * *

**Esan, Farthar System, [sic; translate] 1913**

She was nervous. She was actually nervous. Strong, defiant, bold, rebellious Cecillia Tevos - _Nervous._

Quelling her subconscious behavior to bite her lower lip when anxious, she addressed the Salarian Skycab driver. "How much longer?"

The well dressed Salarian smiled tentatively, though he did not turn back to look at Cecillia when he spoke. "We're entering the outskirts of the Capital now, Madam Tevos" he answered in a professional, if not brisk tone. "We'll be arriving in the Thera-Tevos Estate in approximately ten minutes."

Cecillia nodded as she gazed out of the skycab window, once again trying to prepare herself for the upcoming excitement - and dread - that awaited her. The Capital of Esan, Thereba, steadily grew larger as they approached, and for a brief moment Cecillia was taken aback by how much the colony had changed since her last visit nearly two centuries ago. The independent Asari colony, founded just 150 years prior, had undergone extensive economic development, and many believed it would soon become the next Illium of the Terminus. Seeing how much growth the Capital has undertaken, it was easy to see why. The last she remembered, Thereba was but a small, newly established community; an indistinguishable colony on an indistinguishable world. That had changed.

When Cecillia left her mother and sister on Esan to travel the galaxy, the largest structure on the then newly acquired planet was the seven-story City Assembly, surrounded by hastily built structures and Asari-made prefabs. Now, a seemingly insurmountable number of towers pierced through the Esan skyline, as if fighting for supremacy of height. The circumference of the city must have increased a dozen-fold, so much so that the Tevos family estate, which was once located near the outskirts, now rested closer to the center of the Capital due to the city expanding outward overtime. Heavy traffic could be seen weaving through the buildings as vehicles large and small, from private sky cars to deep space cargo vessels, methodically moved from one place to another. The entire Capital seemed to be bursting with activity; it didn't look much different from a major city on Thessia.

Cecillia tore her eyes from the city view, once again reminiscing over the events that brought her back to Esan. Her mother, Matriarch Therrisa Tevos, was integral in the acquisition and establishment of Esan for the Asari, and for good reason. Esan was a harsh world, but plentiful in resources. So plentiful in fact, that the Thessian Council was willing to overlook the fact that the planet was located perilously close to the De facto capital of the Terminus Systems - Omega. Simple economic opportunity outweighed the political instability of the region as Thessia increasingly looked to worlds on the edge of the Terminus to help fuel the seventh expansion wave. This made Esan a prime target for development. The planet's highest export was in rare and heavy metals, and it just so happened that Matriarch Therissa had built her considerable fortune upon the refining and selling of these raw metals. Because of this, Cecillia's mother had quite a bit of influence on Thessian politics - not an unexpected occurrence given that the Tevos Refinery Corporation was a major catalyst for continued Asari expansion. And Cecillia, as the eldest sibling, was to follow in her mother's footsteps, as was expected of her in Asari society. Indeed, all through her life Cecillia had been trained in the necessary skills, economic and political, needed to run a corporate empire.

But she wanted more than the determined path laid before her all her life. Always the more rebellious of the two siblings, Cecillia wanted to live her own life the way _she_ wanted. And so after two and a half centuries of uninspired corporate positions in her mother's business, strenuous economic, political, and societal studies in top universities on Thessia, and endless coaching, lecturing, and training on the political discourse of Council and Thessian law, Cecillia had had enough. After suppressing her biological Maiden tendencies to explore and experience for well over a century, she finally decided to drop everything she had and find her own way in life, leaving behind her mother and sister to explore the greater galaxy outside Asari space. Her mother, though frustrated, had shown leniency, casting it off as rebellious youth. Her younger sister, Talia, had begged her to stay. Just 86 years old at the time, Talia was little more than a child by Asari standards, and leaving her was the hardest thing Cecillia ever had to do.

But leave she did. During the past two centuries, Cecillia had travelled the galaxy, from Council space to the Terminus systems, from the Citadel to Omega. While wandering, she occasionally stayed in one place for a few decades before packing up again. She had several times fallen in love, or at least thought she had. Her romances always ended the same, heartbreak and bitterness; so many failures prompted her to cast aside love for later years. Naturally gifted in the art of biotics, she had joined several mercenary groups, though never for long. Although less virtuous than her younger sister Talia, Cecillia could not condone the kind of actions that mercenary groups regularly took part in. She had discovered very quickly that the entire mercenary mantra - being hired to protect clients from danger - was all but a farce. Masquerading as 'legitimate private security', they were in fact the leading partakers in galaxy-wide organized crime. Drug trafficking, hit-and-run raids, theft, illegal weapons trade, bought off politicians, and so on. But while she found each one of these things reprehensible, the most sickening aspect, the one that caused Cecillia to quit mercenaries for good, was that of slavery. To Cecillia, and indeed to most Asari, slavery was nothing short of an abomination, a disgusting practice that went against everything that Asari were taught to believe.

So she left mercenary life, and put her considerable combat abilities to better use by joining the planetary police force of Illium. It was there, in the Capital Nos Astros, that Cecillia had spent the majority of her time during her travels. For over one hundred years Illium was her home, and to her own right she had acquired quite a bit of fortune in the Nos Astros Stock Exchange. Although she hated to admit it, her mother's excruciating demand for intellectual excellence and understanding on a fundamental level had served her well. And so there Cecillia lived, rather content, until just a few weeks ago, when she received a surprising message from her mother. It was an invitation, asking her to celebrate her 500th birth year _Entera - _the Asari celebration of one reaching mid-life - with her family on Esan, as well as an offering of Secondary Head Manager of the entire Tevos Industries - a position second only to her mother.

It was a tempting offer.

Apparently, her mother's long time friend and prior occupant, Matriarch Erses, had unfortunately passed away. For whatever reason, her mother was willing to extend this trusted position to Cecillia, instead of one of her more experienced followers and advisors. And Cecillia had to admit, she rather liked the idea. Those restless Maiden urges were no longer pushing her to move, feel, and experience. Now in the prime of her Matron stage, settling down in an executive position while influencing policies with galaxy-wide implications seemed extremely enticing. An oddity, considering this was what propelled her to seek a new life in the first place. Cecillia smiled at that. Sometimes life was perplexing.

But there was more to her considerations than simple biological impulses. She originally set out to explore, discover, and prove herself, and in many ways she did. Leaving everything behind, she had carved out a respectable title as one of Illium's foremost police chiefs, and had accumulated enough wealth to at least last to her Matriarch years. And she did this on her own accord. In fact, Cecillia often contemplated if it was this ability to thrive that prompted her mother to offer the position. Or perhaps Matriarch Therrisa was just growing old and wanted her family close, a comforting thought, though Cecillia had learned not to wallow in such naivety.

In truth, having accomplished what she set out to do, Cecillia simply wanted to be with her family again. Save for a few brief visits, she had been separated from them for nearly two centuries. The last time she saw her sister was during a short two day visit to Thessia 80 years ago, and her mother on the Citadel 120 years ago. Even in Asari terms, that was a long time. And although she had carved out a successful life abroad, she never truly felt happy. Her 'friends' were more along the lines of acquaintances, and after constant failures, she had slowly come to accept the painful realization that finding love was simply not her forte. Indeed, at times her loneliness felt unbearable. So after much contemplation, she returned the message, agreeing to celebrate her _Entera_ on Esan while still claiming to be undecided concerning her mother's generous offer.

Cecillia exhaled deeply. After two centuries, she was finally coming home.

* * *

"We must assure that everything will be ready in time Balsik. There can be no mistakes."

Balsik sighed, his irritants apparent in both eye sets. He currently resided in one of many of the Hegemony's safe houses spread throughout Thereba - this one an unassuming apartment building in the lower slums, where a Batarian could easily blend among the other impoverished _non-Asari._ As with other safe houses, this one had the necessary equipment for secure communications among others within the Hegemony network - communications he was currently using to give yet another status update. Balsik, a normally calm, logical thinking man, was beginning to get annoyed at the State Security Commission's (SSC) ubiquitous intrusion at every moment within the past few months. It was to be expected of course; the Hegemony had been planning for the upcoming days for nearly a decade. And Balsik, one of the SSC's top agents, had remained on Esan for over two years, ensuring that the stage was set, and the pieces in place, for the grand moment. The stakes were high, and everything had to go according to plan for the operation to succeed.

So Balsik fully understood the Security Commission's extreme precaution, but that didn't mean he enjoyed giving monotonous debriefings to some SSC underling half his age with only a tenth of his experience. He addressed the agent on the secure channel. "Do you think me an amateur Selkiv? I have never failed the Hegemony before. Why do you think I would fail now?"

Selkiv, the current agent assigned to communicate and collect data from the _Shaksu _team, made no effort to hide his displeasure as well. "Why do you insist on making this personal Balsik? We both know how important this operation is to the Hegemony. Success is paramount; anything less would have vast consequences."

Irritated, but realizing there was no point in arguing further, Balsik continued with the debriefing. "As was the case yesterday, today, and will be tomorrow when you ask me again, yes, the Eclipse and Blood Pack mercenary groups are ready to strike on our command. Agent Devka has assured their loyalty through means of monetary payment and increased weapons trade. With both groups working together, as well as Batarian agents providing support, Thereba's police force will be unable to resist. As we speak, Eclipse and Blood Pack soldiers are gearing up for the offensive using top of the line military equipment provided by the Hegemony. The local police should be no match; they are trained to stop riots, not a military invasion."

"There are a lot of police officers on Esan Balsik" Selkiv scornfully reminded him. "Even the most well equipped soldiers wouldn't be able to overcome such a numerical disadvantage. Are you so sure that this 'distraction' you speak of will work?"

"_You_ have never been to Esan" Balsik responded accusingly. "The Asari place themselves in high places, reaping the benefits of the planet's wealth while everyone else wallows in poverty. The sentiment among the general population is increasingly working in our favor. The percentage of those who view the exclusive Asari government as an enemy has exploded, thanks in no small part to our subterfuge propaganda campaign. Additionally the Asari no longer represent the majority of the population, in fact they now hardly represent a third. And with a strong immigration push by the Hegemony, Batarian's are now the second highest in number.

The number of anti-government riots and protests has increased dramatically in the past few years too, many of them instigated by our team. And the next one will be no different. Through our various contact with popular leaders among the non-Asari, we have managed to orchestrate a city wide protest set to begin two days from now. During this time, the Thereba police will have their hands full with 50,000 angry citizens protesting against the government."

"This is when we'll strike?" Selkiv asked.

"Yes. The police force will be caught off guard, too busy managing the protests while we take action. Before they realize what is happening, it'll already be too late to respond. We will have control, and the majority of Esan's citizenry will welcome it."

"Are you so sure? Taking control is only the first step. We must _maintain _control."

"Yes" Balsik said, his irritation returning. "Two thirds of the population is non-Asari. Anti-Asari sentiment is at its greatest height. They will welcome our control." He left no room for debate.

Selkiv looked thoughtful for a few seconds before responding. "Well, assuming the ground operation goes accordingly, that just leaves the planetary orbital patrol."

Balsik aloud a rare smile to cross his face. "That should be the least of our problems. The planet's patrol force is relatively weak, consisting of a single Cruiser and eight Frigates. Esan's fleet is used to dealing with pirates, not warfare. They'll be easy targets for our much larger, more experienced patrol fleet awaiting orders to strike. Once we establish orbital supremacy, we can then start inserting Hegemony soldiers onto the planet, solidifying our control of the independent Terminus world. Esan will be ours, and with it all its wealth."

"_If_ everything goes to plan" Selkiv said.

"You worry too much" Balsik said while leaning back into his chair. "Sometimes you have to take risks. With agents like you we would never get anything done."

Instead of an angry response, Selkiv only smiled, much too Basic's surprise. "No Balsik, it is not I who should worry. Need I remind you who will be blamed if this operation fails?" Basic's discomfort became apparent as Selkiv continued. "Not only will you lose your job, you'll lose your _head._"

"That's not going to happen" Balsik said darkly.

"For your sake I hope not. I will require another update tomorrow." And with that, the communication ended.

Balsik wanted to curse the other agent, but he knew that what was said was true. If this operation failed, he would be black-listed. If he returned to Batarian space he'd be executed, his only hope of survival would be a sad existence on Omega. The thought put a bitter taste in his mouth. He shook his head. It didn't matter; he had planned this for years. He wasn't going to fail.

* * *

The skycab touched down in the front courtyard of the Tevos Estate. The courtyard was a wide open expanse, made up of smooth white stone surrounded by lush gardens and carefully trimmed trees. To the left of the compound was an artificial pond, accompanied with many exotic fish from across the galaxy. Directly across the pond stood the many tall _Ancrea _trees, forming a cool shading canopy that blocked out Esan's intense sun, now just beginning to set. The main residence, designed by the famous Asari architect Calpri Sestors, was nothing short of a work of art, its gracefully curved architecture beautifully assenting the surrounding nature. Walls encompassing the Estate, each six meters high with native Asari _Shubil _trees equidistantly lining the perimeter, provided much needed privacy from the busy city beyond. It was a little slice of nature resting in the center of the otherwise industrialized and restless capital.

But Cecillia paid no attention to this, her sight drawn to the two figures standing but a few meters from the skycab. Her little sister, Talia, had her hands grasped together over her heart, a look of joy and anticipation upon her face. Her mother, Therrisa, stood with her hands clasped behind her back, as graceful and beautiful as ever. A tear rolled down Cecillia's cheek as a soft smile crossed her lips.

As soon as she opened the skycab door and stepped onto the pavement, her sister immediately took off towards her. "Ci-Ci!"

Talia ran into Cecillia's arms and they embraced tightly, tears beginning to trickle down both siblings. Even though Talia had matured considerably, now 238, she still held that child-like innocents and naivety that Cecillia had come to miss so dearly. "Talia" she said, wiping away her sister's tears. "It's been too long."

"Yes, but you're back now. With us. Where you belong." She hugged Cecillia again. "I'm so glad you're home Ci-Ci."

Cecillia was about to respond when she felt a hand rest upon her shoulder. Talia released the hug and Cecillia faced her mother. Even after so many years her mother's grace seemed infinite to all others. Her face was as she remembered - beautiful with a disposition of serene calmness. Cecillia tried to keep her emotions in check, to remain resilient and resolute, but could holdout no longer. She burst into tears as she embraced her mother, crying into her shoulder as she did so many times before as a child.

Matriarch Therrisa could sense that her daughter's tears were not one of joy, but of suffering. "Come dearest" she said, drawing her child closer to her bosom. "You have no need for tears of anguish. This should be a joyous occasion. Smile." She lifted Cecillia's chin so that their eyes met, and a smile slowly crept onto her daughter's face. "That's what I'm looking for."

But that smile quickly vanished. "Mother I…" Cecillia looked down again, shame evident on her face. "I'm sorry."

Therrisa looked genuinely confused. She clasped Cecillia's cheeks, once again lifting her head to make eye contact. "Dearest, sorry for what?"

"For abandoning you. For abandoning Talia. You've invested so much in me, had such high hopes, and I only succeeding in disappointing you." More tears began to flow. "I was being arrogant and selfish…and rash, and…I'm sorry." Unable to contain herself, tears once again flowed freely.

"My dear Cecillia" Therissa said in a motherly tone. She wiped away the tears as her daughter took control of her whimpering. "When you left, I was not disappointed. Sad yes, for I would have to bear separation from one I love so dearly. But I was also happy. You sought to make your own path, to live and prosper by your own brilliance and beauty. And now you've come back to me, more resilient and stronger than ever. I have never been so proud."

The tears stopped flowing and Cecillia could only smile at her mother's calming words. She had forgotten what it was like to have family she could lean on to alleviate her fears and suffering, always willing to comfort and support her no matter the circumstance. For over a century she had kept her emotions locked away, hidden under a pretense of firm seriousness.

Therissa beckoned her towards the home entrance. "Come, let us reminisce over dinner."

Cecillia smiled as the three made their way into the residence, where many of Therrisa's acolytes were undoubtedly waiting to greet her. For the first time in a long while, she felt truly at peace. She was home again, surrounded by people who loved and cared for her. She knew that everything would be different now; this was the beginning of a new life.

But she did not know where this new the path would lead her to, or that the next few days would be the last time she would ever see her family again.


	2. Chapter 2: Companionless

_Fire._

_Devastation._

_Pain._

Cecillia struggled to move, almost every inch of her body buried under the collapsed, once beautiful ceiling. She tried to stir, to call out, to do something, but her body was unwilling to comply with her desperate demands. She tried to think, to make sense of the devastation around her, but her thoughts remained dazed and unfocused.

Everything hurt.

Her breaths were labored and heavy, with every intake of air feeling like a thousand tiny pinpricks stabbing at her lungs. Her ears ached; she was dimly aware of the warm, purple liquid flowing from her left ear canal. Her hearing muted, she could faintly make out the howling screams of dying asari mixed with distant weapons fire. Her nose stung with the unmistakable stench of burning flesh and chemical explosives. Her right knee throbbed with an incredible pain, no doubt shattered by the crushing debris from above. Fine cuts from sharp rubble and glass marked her face, and purple bruises were already beginning to take form. Exhaustion swept through her body, and merely staying awake was a struggle in itself.

She tried again to gather her thoughts, to remember what had happened.

_She sat in the main gathering room with one of her mother's acolytes, enjoying her favored Swellshick tea as the sun's rays showered her through the glass ceiling above. After hours of deliberations about the necessary requirements of becoming Secondary Head Manager of her mother's corporate empire, she and Verris had decided to take a break from the day's events and talk about anything other than business. She paid close attention to the time, aware that her sister Talia would be coming home from her studies soon, giving them more time to spend together. Then the city klaxons blared. _

Pinned to the floor, Cecillia had just enough room to turn her head a few degrees to the right. That's when she saw a familiar Asari laying some two meters away, body limp and lifeless. A long, fist-wide metal girder was impaled through the poor woman's stomach. Her lifeless eyes were staring vacantly into the opened ceiling above, displaying her last shocked emotion before she died. Blood still oozed from her agape mouth and opened gut. "Ve…Verris?"

"_Verris?" They were both standing up now; the acolyte in front of her looked genuinely confused. "What are those alarms for? What's going on?"_

"_I don't know" Verris answered hesitantly. "The sirens are supposed to signify an invasion force. But that's impossible. This is Esan" she said, as if that explained everything._

_Before Cecillia could respond, a heavy explosion detonated in the distance, causing the entire room to vibrate from the force of the impact. Then she heard the familiar sound of mass-accelerated weaponry. A wave of anxiety suddenly washed through her. _Talia.

_Without thinking, she immediately darted from the room, heading for her guest quarters upstairs. Verris ran behind her, trying match her speed. "Where are you going Cecillia? We should be going downstairs. There are safe rooms down there."_

"_Talia's out there somewhere. I'm not going to cower in safety while my sister's in danger." The explosions and weapons fire outside increased. They seemed to be getting closer. "I have to find her." She took a right and ran full speed. Her room was at the end of the hall._

"_Cecillia this is insane!" Verris yelled, struggling to keep up. "I love Talia too but if you go out there you could get killed." _

_Ignoring her, Cecillia barged into her room and yanked her closet door open, revealing a semi-large gray metal container, her most prized possession. "I was the Police Chief of Illium's most dangerous district for nearly 50 years. I can handle myself." She frantically put in the pass codes of the metal container and put her thumb over the biometric scanner, a hiss of air confirming her identity as the hydraulic locks unlatched. The container opened to reveal her Parnitha-Class Serrice Armor. With practiced ease, she equipped her armor quickly and efficiently. _

_As she was doing so, Verris was gleaning information from her Omni-tool. "Lady Therissa is currently downtown for a business meeting. Communications from that district are jammed, we can't reach her. Hold on...I'm getting updates from Tyrixas in the Alluris district. Goddess, she's saying shuttles have been spotted offloading massive numbers of Batarian troops, and thousands of civilians from those protests are beginning to riot. It's chaos out there." _

_Cecillia snapped the last piece of her armor together, then drew her favored sub-machine gun and flicked off the safety._

_Verris was still typing away at her Omni-tool. "Tyrixas has ordered all estate staff to head for the underground safe rooms. Cecillia, we must go now!"_

_They both ran downstairs; other fearful staff members were rushing towards the underground safe rooms. Just before Cecillia ran out of the front entrance, Verris grabbed her arm. "Cecillia please." She was pleading. "It is my duty to keep you safe. You must come to the safe rooms with me."_

"_I can't Verris, not when my sister's out there somewhere." She put a hand on Verris' shoulder. "You go on ahead. I'll return with Talia by my side. I prom-_

_The loudest explosion Cecillia had ever heard ripped through the Estate roof, the force knocking the two three meters back and causing a shower of debris to rain upon them. _

_Fire._

_Devastation._

_Pain._

_And though she knew it was impossible, Cecillia could hear Talia's horrified screams halfway across the city._

"Talia!" Cecillia shot up from her bed. Her eyes darted across the room frantically, her heart pounding and breath coming in rapid succession. She instinctually reached for her sidearm, only to grasp the fine cloth of her nightgown instead. At first confused, realization slowly dawned on her as her mind began to make sense of her surroundings. She was not on Esan. She was on the Citadel, in her private suite overlooking a stunning view of the Presidium Ring. There was no fire. No devastation. No pain.

Cecillia sighed wearily as she rubbed her eyelids. "VI, lights." It had been 244 years since the hostile takeover of Esan, yet the events of that day still haunted her dreams. She had learned that the Asari philosophy drilled into her all her life - about focusing on the cherished times instead of the loss - was simply Varren shit. She could never forget; the pain never went away. Making one last effort to push such thoughts aside, she made her way to the restroom to get ready for the day's events.

She observed herself in the mirror. Her once brilliant green irises had finally begun to dull with age, made all the more apparent by the dark lines under her eyes. She had not gotten a good night's sleep, and it showed. She cupped water in her hands and brought it to her face, allowing the cool droplets to trickle down. Her face markings were perhaps her most striking feature. While many Asari decided to keep their markings subtle, and some chose to have none at all, Cecillia had adopted the traditional Tevos markings. White dashes dotted her blue face, surrounding her eyes and spreading outward towards her unusually scaled scalp crest. The two colors contrasted quite nicely. Her upper lip too was marked entirely white, while her bottom lip remained its natural color save for the single white dash that marked the center, with a similar dash marking her chin. Cecillia did not consider herself to be exactly beautiful, but knew that she had a natural grace that both Asari and non-Asari found attractive. Her face, not quite as lithe as other Asari, eschewed authority and respect. It was a good trait to have for a person in a position of power, let alone as a Councilor.

A digital message appeared on her mirror, the suite VI recognizing her position in the apartment and routing it to her location. It was marked urgent and highlighted in red, meaning it was a priority transmission from Thessia. Still antsy from her restless night, she held off reading it, instead undoing her nightgown and preparing a morning bath. It was likely another report on the estimated trajectories of the galactic economy for the next decade, or perhaps a status update on the economic impact of the Hegemony's newfound interest in expanding in the Traverse. The latter thought put a sour taste in her mouth. She knew that as Councilor she should stow away her personal feelings and look at every event without prejudice. But she had seen the effect of Batarian expansion firsthand; experienced it, lived through the consequences. They were bullies, adamant in their superiority and constantly seizing power and wealth from others, knowing that the Council wouldn't dare take a serious step in halting their aggression. When she had become Councilor five years ago, she had thought that she could change things; steer the Council into a more proactive role against Hegemony interests. But despite her efforts, nothing changed. Any serious attempts to halt their expansion or support the abolitionists were discarded almost before they were proposed. 'Much of our consumer goods are produced in the Hegemony' her superiors on Thessia would say. _Never mind that they were made by slaves, some of them _Asari _slaves. _But apparently that didn't matter to the powers in Thessia, so long as the status quo remained and cheap goods kept flowing into their borders undeterred.

Cecillia banished the unpleasing thoughts from her mind as she lowered her body into the warm bath water below. Water jets underneath gently massaged her back and legs as a sweet scented soap was dispersed into the tub.

Of course, such things, as important as they were, probably wouldn't be marked urgent by the Armali Council. Cecillia closed her eyes and sunk lower into the soapy water, now only her head exposed as the moving currents caressed her body, ebbing away the last bit of anxiety in her. Ah well, whatever it was, it could wait for lat-

Her Omni-tool on the sink counter chimed twice, indicating she had received another message, this one private. Rolling her eyes, Cecillia sighed and got out, water dripping across the floor as she made her way to the counter. She activated her Omni-tool and checked her inbox; it was a message from Matriarch Lidanya, Commander of the Destiny Ascension.

_Councilor Tevos,_

_I hope you are doing well. I know you must be busy, but if you could find the time in your schedule to speak with me in person, I would greatly appreciate it. I hate to perturb you with my troubles, but after decades of patience, there are strategic faults in the fleet that I feel can no longer be ignored. As Commander of the Citadel's Defense Force, it is my duty to ensure that this fleet is the most well prepared, well trained, and well equipped force in the Galaxy. But it saddens me to say that the Armali Council does not see it this way. We are defending the heart of our civilization, and we must be prepared to resist any threat that may come our way. But time and time again my fleet is among the last to receive the newest ships, upgrades, weaponry, and offensive and defensive ordnance. We are constantly rotating outdated and unwanted ships that are decades - sometimes centuries - old. More often than not we spend more time repairing malfunctioning systems and aging engines. I fear the Homeworlds see my fleet as little more than a used shipping yard; a place that they can dispose of their older vessels for newer ones. How am I to defend this Citadel against any cohesive fighting force if I cannot even rely on my ships to function properly? _

_Let me be direct. We need better equipment, better training, and yes, newer ships. We need to modernize._

_I am not naïve. I understand that the Citadel is among the safest, most well secured location in the Galaxy. And I know that the most cutting-edge technology would be better served on the fringes of Citadel space where they are needed most. But even the places we think most safe can fall victim to aggression._

Cecillia momentarily paused, remembering how safe and secured Esan supposedly was, how safe and secured she felt, before the planet fell in just three horrific days. She continued reading.

_I am not asking for the newest ship off the Asari dry-docks, latest STG upgrades, or Turian ordnance. But we _must _modernize. My fleet is equipped to deal with threats posed a thousand years ago; it would not stand up against any professional navy today. For a force meant to defend the heart of galactic civilization, this is unacceptable._

_In particular, I was hoping to discuss the idea of finally upgrading some of our ships with Silaris Armor. The Carbon nanotube sheets, woven with chemical diamond disposition, are unsurpassed in strength and heat resistance. I understood the reluctance to do this in the previous decades when the technology was new and producing it was prohibitively expensive. But the cost has cheapened in recent years and the Armor is now becoming commonplace. I know you have no official power concerning defense budgets but as Councilor you undoubtedly have sway with the Homeworld._

Not as much as you think.

_Again, I do not wish to trouble you with my problems, but you are the only one I can go to for help. And finally, on a more personal note:_

_I have been invited to attend the Dilinaga society party tomorrow. I am told that some of the most influential Asari in the Galaxy, including you, will be attending. Shall I look forward in greeting you tomorrow? After all, I am tasked with ensuring your safety, yet we have hardly met. It would be wonderful to discuss things with you unrelated to politics, to be with you in a less…formal setting._

_I look forward to your reply._

_Your friend, Matriarch Lidanya._

Cecillia could read between the lines. She had suspected that the Commander had taken in interest in her, and unlike others, this didn't seem like a lust for power. Regardless, if the Matriarch did find favor in her, she would soon be disappointed. Cecillia had been willing to accept sacrifices when she took the seat of Councilor. One of those sacrifices was to abandon any prospect of a relationship. Oh, there was no rule that said she couldn't have it, but it was implied to come with the job. Perception meant everything, especially for those in power. Manipulation, misdirection, seduction; they were far more subtle tools, but just as effective. To others, she had to appear attractive, attentive; _available._

And therefore single. Not that it was an overbearing sacrifice…in fact it may have been a blessing. With her track record for failed relationships, it was nice to finally have a legitimate excuse to just give up and let go. _No more heartbreaks. No more pain. _At 744 years, and still childless, she would spend the rest of her withering centuries alone.

_Alone. As the universe intended._

This was best for Lidanya anyway. Cecillia knew that the true fault in her relationships was herself_. _One could not be so unlucky, go through so many painful relationships, by sheer happenstance. _She _was the problem. She could never truly give her partners what they wanted; _needed._

'Why are you so distant?' they would ask. _I don't know. _

'Why do you shun affection?' they implored. _Good question._

'Do you truly love me?' they pleaded. _Well, do I? _

It was simply who she was; distant, unaffectionate, unloving. She was a loner, always had been and always will be; and nothing was going to change that. Her mother knew this and tried to fix her, to break her out of her encompassed shell. But then she ran away. Her partners for the most part showed patience, believing that with time she would break out of her icy demeanor. But she never did.

She was Cecillia Tevos. The loner.

Her Omni-tool chimed again, retrieving her from her introspection. It was the same message as before, the priority transmission from Thessia. Cecillia quickly typed a brief, professional reply to Commander Lidanya, informing her that she would find time to speak with her but would decline the Dilinaga invitation. That finished, she opened the priority message to see what was so damn important.

_-Thessia Intelligence Service_

_-Clearance level 001. Priority Athla-Cresteris_

_-Subject: Turian Fleet Mobilization_

Cecillia raised a brow. In recent weeks there had been scattered reports of the Turians shuffling around their fleets and armies, but nothing quite definitive. The Hierarchy had always been an insular society, especially when it came to military matters. She read on.

_Intelligence Command has confirmed through varying sources of a large scale mobilization of ships and troops within Hierarchy controlled space. Any notion of a training exercise has been dispelled. At least 40 legions - 400,000 soldiers - have been pulled from peacekeeping duties along with the 47__th__, 39__th__, and 23__rd__ flotilla. Hierarchy Command has recalled 35% of all Reserves back into active service, and 6.3 million soldiers have been put on stand-by status along the Newrian Veil._

_Various reports of death notifications to family members of soldiers have been confirmed; a large number of these from the Bostra colony. General alert readiness has been issued on worlds across Hierarchy space (particularly the Newrian Veil). Sources from the STG have confirmed that numerous dry-docks have been ordered to increase ship production by as much as 30 to 35 percent, and at least one dock has been issued orders to construct two new dreadnaughts, despite the Hierarchy not needing a replacement for another 26 years. The scale of their mobilization and increase in production suggest that the Hierarchy is preparing for an invasion._

_Evidence suggests most fleet activity is taking place on the edge of the Newrian Veil. Intercepted transmissions from that area have been limited. The few we've managed to decipher suggest that the Turians have lost an entire Flotilla due to intense fighting with an unidentified force; from who or what, we don't know. While most of the data was heavily encrypted, we were able to lift two important details concerning the fleet movements._

_First, there are repeated references of Relay 314, an inactive Relay located on the edge of unexplored space near the Newrian Veil._

_And second, a limited casualty report of the supposed conflict. It is as follows; _

_(NOTE: Information attained through third tier sources on unsecured channels, and therefore may not reflect reality.)_

_-Fifteen ships, including the Dreadnaught Bostra, four Cruisers, and ten Frigates are listed as 'destroyed' or 'captured'. _

_-Two-thirds of the 19__th__ legion (6,132 soldiers) listed as killed in action. One-sixth listed as 'captured'; the rest walking wounded and/or combat effective._

_It is unknown who or what the Turians have engaged against. In response to this information, Asari alert-readiness has been raised and Turian space will be extensively monitored. All Asari Command will be notified when updates are available._

_End Report._

Cecillia stared wide-eyed for a few moments, forgetting that she was standing soaked and naked by the mirror. She was not expecting _that. _She went over the brief contents of the message again, making sure she had read it right. _The Turians are preparing for an invasion? Against who?_

More shockingly; what did the report mean by 'captured'? That would imply that not only did the Turians engage in a fight, but that they _lost._ The Turians were a species of professional soldiers; they had the most powerful military in the galaxy. They didn't lose engagements.

Cecillia dried herself off and dressed quickly, deciding to wear a simple one-piece attire. Activating her Omni-tool, she linked up with her secretary. "Kaila, prepare a shuttle for the Turian embassy. Notify Kravux that I will be arriving shortly."

"Of course Councilor."

She was going to have a talk with the Turian Councilor.

* * *

**AN:** This story may take a few liberties from cannon. Thanks for reading and let me know what you think.


End file.
